A masked gunman opened fire at an Oregon shopping mall Tuesday. Three people, including the gunman, are dead, authorities said. Gunfire erupted at the Clackamas Town Center mall outside Portland shortly before 4 p.m. PST.

[Update 9:39 p.m.]

The gunman died of what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Clackamas County Sheriff's Sgt. Adam Phillips said. He did not release the identity of either the shooter or the victims. Law enforcement did not fire any shots during the incident, he said.

[Update 8:40 p.m. ET]

Witness Kira Rowland told CNN's Anderson Cooper she was with her infant in the Macy's cosmetics area when the shooting broke out. She estimated she heard about 25 shots fired.

"I can't help but think that if I hadn't stopped to smell that perfume, maybe me and my baby wouldn't be here today," she said, her voice breaking.

[Update 8:35 p.m. ET]

Clackamas County Sheriff's spokesman Lt. James Rhodes said the shooter and two victims were dead and only one person was injured.

He said nearly 100 officers from several agencies were on the scene, searching the mall and controlling the crime scene.

"Where it began specifically in the mall I don't know," he said.

Rhodes asked witnesses to call or come to the sheriff's office to describe what they saw.

Cell phone service was overwhelmed by the volume of calls, he said, and asked people seeking information to be patient.

"I heard something similar to a .22 popping, probably eight times," witness Christina Fisher told CNN affiliate KOIN. She said people dropped to the floor and cooperate with one another to get to safety. She said she was about to leave through the Sears store, but then police blocked the doors.

[Update 8:28 p.m. ET] Witnesses and others near the scene were tweeting about their experiences.

Well, I'm alive, but the shots were close enough that I felt the air pressure change on my neck. Clackamas Town Center.

Witness Holli Bautista told CNN's Anderson Cooper she saw people ducking for cover in the mall's food court. She said she was not able to leave the mall parking lot because police were blocking the exits and that people were still locked inside the mall itself. Bautista said she heard about 10 shots fired and that several triage centers had been set up.

Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has rescinded punishments against players in the New Orleans Saints bounty case, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday on Twitter.

In March, the NFL said an investigation found the Saints had an "active bounty program" during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. During this time, players were purportedly offered "bounty" payments if they managed to hurt opposing players and knock them out of a game.

The following statement by the NFL was released following the announcement:

"We respect Mr. Tagliabueâ€™s decision, which underscores the due process afforded players in NFL disciplinary matters. This matter has now been reviewed by Commissioner Goodell, two CBA grievance arbitrators, the CBA Appeals Panel, and Mr. Tagliabue as Commissioner Goodellâ€™s designated appeals officer. The decisions have made clear that the Saints operated a bounty program in violation of league rules for three years, that the program endangered player safety, and that the commissioner has the authority under the CBA to impose discipline for those actions as conduct detrimental to the league. Strong action was taken in this matter to protect player safety and ensure that bounties would be eliminated from football."

A major gas line has exploded in Sissonville, West Virginia, officials told CNN.

Several structures in the area are on fire, Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said.

Carper said it was "sounding like a jet engine" as the fire raged. At this time, no injuries have been reported.

The explosion has caused I-77 at the Charleston split to be shut down in the north direction, West Virginia's Department of Transportation reported on their Twitter account.

The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to investigate the explosion and subsequent fire.

A cause was not immediately clear.

CNN iReporter Ryan Dunlap, 28, sent video from the scene, showing flames and smoke in a wooded area.

"We're about a mile away from it. It sounded like an airplane was flying over the roof," he said. "It damaged the Interstate. It's melted. They have all the roads closed down in the area. I had to take the back way home."

The Australian radio station which made a prank call to a UK hospital that apparently resulted in the death of a nurse said Tuesday that it would donate at least 500,000 Australian dollars (US$524,000) to a fund for the nurse's family.

Jacintha Saldanha apparently committed suicide after being duped by the prank call from two DJs seeking information on Prince William's pregnant wife, Catherine.

The talk in Washington is all about the "fiscal cliff" and what the president and Congress need to do to avoid it.Â Watch CNN.com Live for continuing coverage of the fiscal cliff debate.

Today's programming highlights...

9:00 am ET - Zimmerman trial motions hearing - Attorneys in the case of George Zimmerman, accused of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, return to court to argue pre-trial motions.Â Zimmerman is expected to attend the hearing.

The number of journalists jailed around the world reached a record high in 2012, with Turkey the worst offender, the New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists said in a report Tuesday.

As of December 1, 232 reporters, photographers and editors were in prisons in 27 countries, jailed on charges of "terrorism" and crimes against the state intended to "silence critical voices," the group said.

The figure is the highest since the organization began record-keeping in 1990. Until now, the record was 185 set in 1996.

Mali's prime minister abruptly resigned Tuesday, announcing on state television that his entire cabinet was also stepping down.

Cheick Modibo Diarra did not offer a reason for his decision, except for a vague statement that he solemnly delivered.

"Our country Mali is going through the most difficult period in its history," he said. "During this time of crisis, the men and women of this country - uncertain of what is going to happen to their country - find themselves in an unfortunate situation.

"That's why I, Sheikh Modibo Diarra, have resigned with all my government, on this day, Tuesday, 11 of December of 2012. I apologize to all of the Malian people who are suffering from this crisis in every way and at all levels. I thank all the members of the government as well as their contributors for their efforts on the economic front. I wish the next government best of luck."

The development is another blow to the stability of a country once hailed as a model of democracy in Africa, but one derailed by a coup and an uprising of Islamist militants.

A pilot and two flight nurses were on board the chopper when it crashed near the city of Rochelle, about 75 miles west of Chicago, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The helicopter was not carrying any patients at the time.

The copter, which was registered to Rockford Health System, was flying from Rockford to a hospital in Mendota.

The cause of the crash is unknown. The FAA will deploy a team early Tuesday to investigate.

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